Urban Pest Management Program

Urban and Structural Pest Management Certificate Program

The Urban Pest Management Program on the UGA Griffin campus has established a 10-week lecture series resulting in the awarding of a Certificate in Urban and Structural Pest Management. The goal of the program is to provide Georgia’s pest management companies new service technicians exposed to various aspects of the industry, and to award current pest management professionals a University of Georgia-sponsored credential. Georgia Department of Agriculture-approved credit (pdf) will be granted to currently registered and certified employees.

What is Urban and Structural Pest Management?

Urban and structural pest management is the protection of our property, food, and health from insect and rodent pests commonly found in homes, restaurants, and other businesses. The service technician is the front line of this defense, and thus the backbone of the pest management industry.

Who is this Certificate For?

1. individuals with no experience in the pest management industry, but who are looking to enter a stable and exciting field;
2. individuals who, even though they might have extensive pest management experience, would like to energize their career by acquiring a professional credential, and;
3. owners and managers of pest management companies looking to improve the skills of current and future employees---i.e., the Certificate can be used to help prepare employees for Georgia’s registration and/or certification exam.

Job Opportunities

Many of Georgia’s 1,200+ pest management companies are continuously searching for dedicated, responsible employees. Generally, service technicians can expect to earn a base salary plus commissions and bonuses. Many companies provide medical, dental, and life insurance; some form of savings plan; and paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave/personal days.

The Certificate’s Lecture Series

Classes are held once per week from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on the UGA Griffin Campus. The Certificate’s curriculum is designed to expose students to various aspects of the pest management industry, including sales, customer service, and legal affairs. More than half of the Certificate’s 10 lectures are about the identification, biology, and management of the most common urban insect pests found in Georgia.

A Unique Training Opportunity

Because a laboratory session is part of each technical lecture, the Certificate provides a unique training opportunity even for the most experienced technician. Over the course of the Certificate’s various laboratory sessions, students are shown specimens of the 100 or so most common insect pests most likely to be encountered in and around Georgia’s urban environment.

Program Fee

For Non Pest Management Professionals. The Certificate fee is $495. Contact Dr. Suiter or the Office of Continuing Education to learn about financial assistance (scholarships and low-interest loans). For persons not currently employed by a pest management company, an optional internship with a pest management company is strongly encouraged.

For Pest Management Professionals. The fee for the 10-week program is $395 per person for the first three employees, then $325 per person for the 4th employee and beyond. Individual lectures can be taken for $50 each.

Bonus WDO Hours! For any certified or registered employee who enrolls in and completes the Certificate (attends at least 8 of the 10 lectures), the employing company will be awarded one registration in any of the numerous termite workshops held on the UGA Griffin campus for just $20. In addition to the $55 or $105 cost savings, this offer is worth an additional 11 WDO hours towards certification, 6 WDO hours towards registration, or 5 PTX hours.

For More Information

For more information about the UGA Urban and Structural Pest Management Certificate Program, contact Dr. Dan Suiter (770-233-6114 or dsuiter@griffin.uga.edu) or the UGA Griffin Campus Office of Continuing Education (770-229-3477 or conteduc@griffin.uga.edu).